


You can call me Blurry

by stonerjosh



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe, Birthday, Blackouts, Burns, Depression, Drug Use, Drugs, Emo, Fire, Gay, Gay Josh, Gay Male Character, Hearing Voices, Heroin, High School, Imaginary Friends, Imagination, M/M, Masks, Multiple Voices, Overdosing, Recreational Drug Use, Schizophrenia, Tattoos, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-26
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-20 02:16:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9471038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stonerjosh/pseuds/stonerjosh
Summary: It's 2005.Tyler just turned 17 and he's in his junior year of high school.He's a paranoid schizophrenic.That's all you need to know.





	1. Chapter 1

“Happy Birthday!” Tyler’s family cheered as he blew out his candles. Seventeen candles. 

 

This wasn’t much of a party. Just his parents and siblings and a cake. The lights were dim and the smoke from the candles made everything look fuzzy.

 

“What’d you wish for?” Mrs. Joseph had to talk over Jay and Madison fighting.

 

“Hey!”

 

“I want that one!” They were pulling the candles out of the cake and arguing over who got to lick off the frosting.

 

Wish?  _ What did I wish for? _ Tyler didn’t make a wish, but he wondered what it would have been if he had.

 

Mr. Joseph started cutting the cake. Cookies and cream ice cream cake. Tyler’s favorite. Or at least it was.

 

Zack passed out plates and spoons like his mother asked him to.

 

The cake was cold. The frosting was sickeningly sweet and left a film in his mouth. Tyler lost his appetite after a few bites. 

 

Tyler threw away his plate. “May I be excused?”

 

Mrs. Joseph looked up from her plate. Everyone was still eating and talking. Except for Jay who was pushing a blue matchbox car around his plate. “Excused? Already? But honey, it's your birthday. Don't you want to spend time with your family?”

 

“No.” 

 

Tyler's parents looked at each other and frowned.

 

His mom rose up from her seat and grabbed her plate. “Fine, you can be excused.” She looked annoyed. Tyler didn't know why, nor did he care.

 

Tyler went upstairs to his room. He plopped himself on his bed and put on a pair of headphones. He turned on his mp3 player and System of a Down started playing.

 

The loud music was eventually drowned out by some kind of white noise. Like wind blowing past a an open window of a car.

 

It wasn’t long before Tyler realized that he was no longer alone. There was someone else in his room. A man stood before the foot of his bed. He was in a red suit and a black tie and he wore a black ski mask over his face. Tyler could see the man’s eyes glowing red through the mask.

 

Tyler pushed himself as far back into his headboard as he possibly could, “Wh-what d-you want?”

 

The man stood still. Stiff as a board. His voice was muffled, “Someone stopped taking his meds.”

 

Tyler glanced over at the two pill bottles on his nightstand then back at the masked figure standing before him. He blinked and when he opened his eyes again, the man was standing at the side of his bed next to his nightstand and hovering over him.

 

“You’re not a little boy anymore, Tyler. You shouldn’t have to be reminded to take your medication.”

 

Tyler swallowed, “How do you know my name?”

 

“Oh I know everything about you. Now take your pills,” The man’s voice changed from strangely sweet to stern.

 

Tyler picked up a bottle from the night stand. Antidepressants. He swallowed a little, green pill with a sip of water. The taste of the pill on his tongue made him grimace.

 

“Take another one,” the man with the red eyes ordered. 

 

“But I’m only supposed to take-”

 

“Another one,”  he interrupted Tyler.

 

Tyler swallowed another antidepressant. 

 

“Another.”

 

Tyler swallowed a third. He closed the bottle and grabbed the other. Antipsychotics. 

 

“Take three of those too.”

 

He did. Then he laid back on his bed while the masked man hovered over him watching him.

 

After about an hour, Tyler began to feel heavy. Almost like someone was trying to pull him through his bed.

 

“Ahh, now you’re ready,” The strange man smiled. “Get up.”

 

Tyler tried to stand up, but his legs were shaky and unbalanced. He tripped over himself and almost fell forward, but he caught himself.

 

“Come on… You can do it.”

 

Tyler followed the man out of his bedroom, hanging onto the walls so that he wouldn’t fall. His head felt swimmy and everything around him moved in and out of focus. “Wait, I have to go to the bathroom.”

 

Tyler wasn't going to be getting any privacy. The man followed him into the bathroom.

 

He gripped the sides of the sink and hung his head over it. “I think I'm going to puke.”

 

“NO,” the man’s voice was loud and abrupt. “You mustn't.” 

 

Tyler swallowed back down what had come up in his throat. His throat burned. He looked up at the mirror and stared at himself. He was drooling and his eyes were dilated and bloodshot. He made eye contact with the masked man in the mirror. “Where are we going?”

 

The man’s eyes grew brighter.

 

Tyler doesn’t remember anything after that. He doesn’t remember what the man with the glowing red eyes said to him. He must’ve blacked out. Guess that’s what happens when you overdose.

 

When Tyler awoke, he was in a dark room. He was sitting on a cold floor and up against a bare wall. He heard a loud clap and instantly the room was illuminated. The room was empty and bright, white. Tyler had to squint to see clearly. His head still felt weird.

 

The red eyed man was back. Or maybe he never left. He was standing before Tyler, but he had company this time. Another man a few inches shorter than the the other. This man was wearing a tight, green alien mask. His shirt was white and it had the sleeves cut off. One of his bare arms, his right one, was completely burnt from the shoulder to the wrist. Tyler tried his best not to stare. 

 

“Ahh good, you’re awake,” the man with the ski mask began. “Almost thought we lost you there. Well, not really. I knew it wasn't time.”

 

Tyler tried to use his hand as a visor from the brightness in the room.

 

The taller man continued, “Anyways… we haven't been properly introduced, have we?” Tyler was about to shake his head, but he couldn't. “No. We haven't. You can call me Blurry,” he outstretched his hand for Tyler to shake it. His skin was black like charcoal and Tyler refused to touch it. “Fine. You always were rude.” Tyler didn't know what that could've meant. “You're probably wondering about my friend here,” Blurry gestured to the man in the alien mask. “Well, he would prefer that his identity remain anonymous at this time, but you can call him Jim.” 

 

Blurry and Tyler both stared at Jim who stood there frozen, like a statue.

 

Blurry broke the silence, “My boy, Jimmy doesn't talk much.”

 

Tyler was confused. What did these two weirdos want from him.

 

Blurry read his mind, “Oh Tyler, the only weirdo here is you.”

 

_ How does he know what’s in my head? _

 

Blurry’s muffled voice interrupted Tyler’s thoughts, but his mouth didn’t move, “Because I’m in your head.” Blurry gestured around the room, “We all are.” His mouth still didn’t move.

 

Tyler looked around the room. There were no doors, no windows, or light fixtures. It was just a big, white box. He noticed something in the far right corner. He had to look around Blurry to see what it was. 

 

It was a person. A young man. He was was hunched over on the floor. Shaking. Struggling to stick a needle in his arm.

 

Blurry turned around to see what Tyler was staring at. “Oh him..”

 

“Who is he?”

 

Blurry shrugged, “Everyone does strange things to deal with the pain.” He gestured at the man in the corner, “He uses that needle to stop the images in his head.”

 

Tyler started to stand.

 

Blurry clapped his hands together. It echoed like a clap of thunder.

  
Everything went black again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler makes a friend.

Tyler was back in school the next day. He had English first and he was a few minutes late. His teacher lectured him about getting his act together while he was taking his seat. He just zoned her out.

He was still confused about what happened the day before. Telling the difference between reality and imagination was hard for him.

Another kid walked into the classroom after Tyler.

The teacher shouted, “You’re late!” without looking up from her desk.

The boy just stood there and stuttered, “I-I-I know. I-I’m sorry.” He had a little bit of a lisp.   
  
Tyler had never seen this kid around school before. He must be new.

“Well don't just stand there! Take a seat!” the old lady still hadn't peeked over her glasses which were resting at the tip of her nose.

The boy looked around the room nervously, “Where should I sit?”

The lady sounded agitated, “What're you new?” She finally looked up at him, “Oh, you are new.”

The boy nodded.

“What’s your name son?”

“Joshua Dun.”

The lady stood up and pointed in Tyler's general direction, “Well Mr. Dun, you can take that empty seat in the back next to Tyler.”

Tyler pursed his lips and waved shyly.

The boy sat down dropping his backpack on the floor. He had a messy, blue Mohawk and bright, copper eyes that squinted when he gave Tyler a friendly smile.

Tyler avoided eye contact. He didn't like people.

Their teacher started the day’s lesson. Tyler was trying hard to pay attention and take notes, but the new boy beside him was rummaging through his backpack and making a lot of noise. Too much noise.

Tyler couldn't take it anymore. He turned to Josh and spoke flatly, “Are you almost done? You're being loud.”

“Oh, sorry,” his apology was sweet and innocent. He stopped what he was doing and put his backpack back down on the floor.

Tyler sighed. Relieved. He tried to get his focus back on the teacher.

Once he caught onto what was being talked about, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

The blue haired boy’s voice was soft and apologetic, “Do you have a pencil I can borrow?”

Tyler narrowed his eyes. _Are you fucking kidding me?_ Tyler felt his face get hot. This guy had to be joking. This is the second time he’s interrupted Tyler and Tyler didn’t like being interrupted. It was hard enough for him to focus.

Tyler ignored him and turned back around. He could see the boy still staring at him in the corner of his eye. Tyler took a deep breath clenching at his pencil. Finally, he snapped the pencil in his hand and handed over the half with the eraser so that he could still have the sharpened half. “Here. It’s all yours.”

Josh smiled. _God, this kid smiles too much._ He stood up from his desk and walked over to the pencil sharpener.

Tyler walked home from school. The sun was bright, but the air was cold. Blurry walked with him.

“Bet you wish you listened to your mom and wore a Jacket to school, huh?”

Someone called out Tyler’s name. Both Tyler and Blurry looked back.

Josh was was running towards them.

“Who’s that?” Blurry questioned.

Tyler rolled his eyes. They both continued walking. “The new kid in my English class. He’s so annoying.”

Josh caught up with them.

Blurry disappeared.

“Who are you talking to?”

Tyler wouldn’t look at the blue haired boy. “Myself. Is there a problem?”

Josh shook his head, “No. I talk to myself too sometimes.”

Tyler scoffed.

“So, where do you live?”

“A few more blocks down.”

“Oh cool. I just moved in on the other side of town.”

“Then why aren’t you walking that way?”

“Oh, um, I-I-I just wanted to, uh, thank you for the pencil from earlier.”

“You’re welcome.” You can go home now.

Tyler could hear Blurry’s voice, “He’s not going to leave. Invite him over.”

“I don’t want to,” Tyler whispered.

Josh turned to Tyler, confused, “What?”

Tyler was abrupt, “Do you want to come over? My house, I mean.”

Tyler had never seen someone smile so wide. Everything about Josh’s smile was perfect. His teeth, his pink lips, his dimples, and the little creases that formed around his eyes. It was infectious. It almost made Tyler want to smile too.

“I’d love to.”

The two of them walked together the rest of the way to Tyler’s house.

Once they were inside, Tyler ran up the stairs to his bedroom. Before Josh could run up after him, he was stopped by Tyler’s mom.

“Who are you?”

“Oh, uh, I-I-I’m Joshua, Tyler’s friend.”

The older lady raised her eyebrows, “Tyler? Friend? I don’t think I’ve ever heard those two words in the same sentence before.”

Josh let out a small, shy laugh.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Joshua.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” he reached out to politely shake the lady’s hand, “Mrs..?”

“Joseph.”

“Right,” he nodded then ran up the stairs.

Tyler’s room was technically part of the attic. You could see the shape of the roof in his ceiling. His walls were covered in his own drawings.

Josh took it upon himself to inspect each one of these drawings.

He broke the silence, which Tyler was finding quite comforting, “Why do you have so many drawings of yourself in a suit and a ski mask?”

Tyler looked at Blurry who was sitting beside him.

Blurry disappeared.

Tyler stood up from his bed where he was sitting. He stepped in front of Josh blocking the drawing he was staring at. “That’s not me.”

Josh didn’t look very convinced. “Sure looks like you. Who is it then?”

“Just a character I made up.” Tyler looked at Blurry again who was standing behind Josh. Then his focus went back on Josh.

It didn’t feel natural to lie to Josh. Tyler didn’t know why.

Josh walked away towards the bed and Tyler watched his gaze fall on the pill bottles on the nightstand. He stared intently and frowned.

Tyler held his breath.

“Antipsychotics?”

Tyler didn't respond.

“So like schizophrenia?”

Tyler nodded.

“Cool.”

_Cool? How is that cool?_

Josh coming over after school became a regular thing. They didn't do much. They just hid in Tyler's room making small talk. Like _very_ small talk.

A couple of weeks later, Tyler was sitting on his bed and watching Josh who was lying on the floor. He watched as Josh contorted his face into different shapes while he thought. He wondered what Josh could be thinking.

Josh’s was frowning when suddenly his eyes widened and he sat up abruptly. “You wanna get outta here and do something? S-something crazy?”

Tyler thought for a moment, but Josh grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the house.

Josh was running. Tyler ran after him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for me to post :/

**Author's Note:**

> I just watched Donnie Darko for the first time and it's my new favorite movie. This story was kind of inspired by that movie.
> 
> I have a lot more planned for this story. I'm working on the second chapter right now.


End file.
